"Saying they're going to be tough on Indigenous Australians when they're down south, and when they come up to the Territory they're all ears, listening to locals," he said.

The Government's discussion paper also includes ways to improve job rates.

Bob Beadman, who recently retired as the Northern Territory's co-ordinator general for remote services, is doubtful public servants will implement the steps to reduce chronic joblessness in remote Australia.

He says it is a worthy sentiment but is held back by welfare laws.

"A supporting mother with three kids gets in the order of $32,000 a year," he said.

"A starting wage for a health worker or teaching assistant is about $36,000. It seems to me there's not enough lure to take people out of the welfare net and into the workforce."